Ankle support



April 1 1970 J. R. BAKER 3,506,000

ANKLE SUPPORT Filed Aug. 19, 1968 INVENTOR. JACK R. BAKER walnu- ATTORNEYS United States, Patent 3,506,000 ANKLE SUPPORT Jack R. Baker, Lincoln, R.I., assignor to Jariba Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 753,386 Int. Cl. A61f 13/05 US. Cl. 128166 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An ankle support comprising a body member to extend about the Achilles tendon at the back of the foot and along the inside and outside of the foot with a band at its upper edge to support it in position and with stretchable straps supported in position to the body member and extending in opposite directions, the straps being of a length to pass under the arch of the foot and over instep in opposite directions one from the other and then about the leg in opposite directions so as to overlap with means to hold them in overlapping position.

Background of the invention This invention relates to an ankle support which is designed primarily for those engaged in physical activity, which activity subjects the foot to unusual stresses. It has been quite common to tape ankles of athletes, but the normal taping of ankles and the foot is sometimes objectionable in that it exerts an excessive pressure on the ankle at all times, and if it is fitted tight enough to be really effective against strains, it may be exceedingly uncomfortable. In the prior art there have been attempts to manufacture a suitable ankle support for atheletes and many times there has been a laced up instep. This laced type of ankle support is objectionable because if laced tightly enoughto be effective for its intended purpose is too inelastic to provide the necessary freedom of movement of the foot in certain competitive sports such as football, for example, where one goes into a crouching position. In some cases there has been a fitting of the body about the Achilles tendon and beneath the arch with additional portions wound about the instep such as in Capossela Patent No. 2,645,222. Here there is a cutout for the heel at both ends of the support which makes for a complicated structure and many layers of fabric one upon the other. Elasticity of the parts is not provided for, and accordingly, many sizes would have to be provided for different feet. The instant invention solves problems of the prior art by providing a suitable construction for quick application with elasticity of the straps'where needed provided for the give necessary in athletic sports and also for the accommodation of different size feet and ankles.

Summaa y The invention provides a yieldable ankle support by anchoring the elastic straps to a body member which is held in position by a band about the leg and which straps may extend in opposite directions beneath the arch and over the instep in crossing relation and about the ankle in an arrangement to prove elasticity in all directions while being secured together in overlapping relation one upon the other at a readily accessible inside portion of the foot.

Description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the angle support of this invention applied to a foot;

FIG. 2 is a rear view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view showing a fragmental portion 3,506,000 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 ice Description of the preferred embodiment In the drawings the ankle support is illustrated as comprising a body member 10 (FIG. 4) of substantially inelastic material which has a rear portion 11 to extend along the Achilles tendon at the back of the foot and with wings 12 and 13 on either side to extend along the inside and outside portions of the foot a distance to cover the ankle bone. This member 10 may be of a fabric lined with sponge rubber or some soft material if desired. A band 15 has one end sewed to the upper edge of this body as at 16 and is of a length to extend about the leg 17 and be suitably held in overlapping relation on itself by Velcro monofilament hooks 18 on the inside free end of the band engaging a cooperative pad 19 placed on the outer surface of the band. This cooperating pad 19 may be of a length sufiicient so that legs of different sizes may be accommodated Straps 2-5 and 26 are sewed as at 27 and 28 to the body member 10 with a strip 29 overlapping their abutting ends and sewed as at 30 and 31 to the straps and to the body 10 so as to extend in generally opposite directions and at an angle to each other from their point of attachment to the body member 10. The body member serves as a convenient means of holding these ends of the strap designated 33 and 34 (FIG. 2) in their desired vertical position on the foot and also orients the straps 25, 26 in the proper angular attitude to extend across the ankle bone.

In the showing here illustrated the support is for the left foot and the left foot is illustrated and designated 35. The strap 25 is of elastic material extends toward the outside of the foot and is applied in a somewhat stretched condition beneath the arch of the foot thence over the instep of the foot, and then around the back of the foot where its portion 25' generally extends over the ankle bone at the inside of the foot. This portion of the strap is equipped with a Velcro cooperating pad 37 as seen in FIG. 4. The other elastic strap 26 is directed toward the inside of the foot and extends from its point of attachment on the body member beneath the arch and over the strap 25 and thence up on the outside of the foot and across the top of the instep and into overlapping relation with the end portion 25' of the strap 25. This end portion 26 of the strap 26 is equipped with Velcro monofilament hooks 38 to engage the cooperating Velcro pad 37 for holding this elastic strap in position.

In effect, there is a figure 8 application of elastic straps about the instep and across the ankle giving the support desired, all by simple straight bands with the only shaped member being the body member cut out to accommodate the shape of the foot.

I claim:

1. An ankle support comprising a body member to extend about the Achilles tendon and along the inside and outside of the foot, a band secured to the body member adjacent the upper edge thereof to hold the body member in substantially its desired vertical position by extending about the leg, a pair of stretchable straps each having one end secured to said body member, said straps extending from their point of attachment on said body in generally opposite directions and at an angle to each other Whereby said straps are normally directed downwardly from the body member along the inside of the 'foot,' References Cited thence beneath the arch over the first strap then across UNITED STATES PATENTS the instep and around a portion of the leg 1n the opposite Y direction from the first strap to overlap the first strap and 1,718,931 6/1929 P 128-156 means on said straps and band adjacent their ends when 5 3,073,305 1/1963 Blggs et about said foot and leg respectively to secure them to- 3,383,708 5/ 1968 Pappas gether in gverlapping relation, 3,407,811 10/1968 Stubbs 2. An ankle support as in claim 1 wherein said means to hold the straps adjacent their ends comprises cooperat- ADELE EAGER Pumary Exammer ing parts on each member in the form of Velcro hav- 10 ing monofilament hooks on one part and a cooperative pad on the other part.

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